Crystals of Ash
by SinerealSnowflake
Summary: He was a priest of the Kou Empire. She was a highly skilled magician and an adopted Princess of the Kou Empire. But what was Rhyme to Judal? And what was Judal to Rhyme? Love story triangle: Judal x OC x Sinbad. Might be a slight OC x Kouen. I'll be following the storyline of both the manga and the anime.
1. Chapter 1

"The Rukh... They seem to be in awe of you..." trailed off Judal. Rhyme laughed.

"Naturally they'd be in awe of something completely different from them."

"What are you?"

"To put it simply, I am not human."

"Magi then?"

"Magi are more or less also human. Just slightly different from what you label as the normal human. I, on the other hand, am neither." Rhyme replied as Judal stared at her, musing.

"What are you?" he repeated.

"Something you wouldn't be able to comprehend."

"Try me."

"Judal, stop acting like a kid."

"Rhyme, stop acting like a brat. If you truly aren't human, then prove it." Judal glared at Rhyme as she glared back at him. Eyebrows twitching, Rhyme rose and started walking away. "Rhyme? Rhyme, come back! Now!" Judal yelled to the golden- haired girl who ignored him. Turning a corner, Rhyme disappeared in the crowd as Judal vainly tried to find even a trace of her Rukh. Just a few meters away from the searching Judal, Rhyme was seated on the edge of an old well, invisible to all but herself.

"I'm a Valkyrie, Judal. The last Valkyrie." Rhyme whispered, tears streaming down her face as she looked up at the darkening sky. _Just like that day_.

* * *

The characteristics of any Valkyrie are quite simple. Black hair; deathly-pale skin; ruby lips and eye color ranging from the lightest shade of lavender to the darkest shade of purple. Needless to say, that is exactly why men found Valkyries appealing. Valkyries were extraordinarily beautiful.

Lilynaede was born the absolute opposite of what a Valkyrie was supposed to look like. However, that did not make her less appealing in the least. In fact, she was found to be even more appealing than most famous Valkyries. With her porcelain-pale skin; rosy lips and long golden hair, Lilynaede was the very meaning of the word 'stunning'. What appealed to people the most, however, was her eye color. A mesmerizing forest green which would change to a dark emerald at times, Lilynaede's eyes captivated Valkyries and humans alike.

Valkyries were immortal. The female ones at least. Female Valkyries stopped aging at the time their body decided it right for them. However the age was never more than 30 human years and never less than 10 human years. So a Valkyrie could end up anywhere within that age limit. Usually most preferred to stay in the age their bodies stopped in. For the few Valkyries that did not like their age, special rituals and potions were invented that would help a Valkyrie age forwards or backwards and then stop forever in the age they wished to be in. The day Valkyries 'came of age' (the day they stopped aging), they would 'acquire' one of three things. Wings, a tail, or magic abilities. From that moment on, the 'career' of the Valkyrie would be decided. There weren't many Valkyries to begin with, because female Valkyries had to mate with male humans in order to reproduce. And in almost all cases, the child would be a male. If it was a male, the child would be human and the father would get to keep it. If the child was a female however, she would be taken away and raised in the Valkyrie ways by her mother.

Lilynaede was one of the exceptionally born ones. Exceptionally born Valkyries in both looks and powers were called the Lux. So far only three had been born, Lilynaede the second of the Lux. Ironically, all three Lux Valkyries looked nothing alike and all three were from different mothers and fathers. The firstborn Lux, Aetheria, resembled the angels humans constantly drew and talked of. Rosy skin; pale pink lips; sapphire eyes and slightly wavy white hair up to her mid-back. Aetheria by nature was the worlds' biggest troublemaker though, and never hesitated to speak her mind. The latest-born Lux seemed to be her total opposite in both looks and character. Pale-peach skin; full red lips; yellowish-orange eyes and hair the color of fire which fell in curls to just above her shoulders, Megurine's nature was one of the shyest among both Valkyries and humans however.

Lilynaede was someone that balanced Megurine and Aetheria. Naturally, all three were great friends. Best friends. And the Lux were the pride of the Valkyrie clan. At first, the Valkyries were worried the Lux might end up being human (since they looked so different), but when Aetheria 'came of age' and 'acquired' wings (a pearly-white color just like her hair), everyone stopped worrying. However, when a few days later Aetheria 'acquired' a white tail, everyone was shocked. Two attributes for a Valkyrie had been unheard of up until that moment. Lilynaede had acquired wings (golden) upon her 'coming of age', and then, just like Aetheria, she had 'acquired' magic abilities several days later. To almost no-one's surprise anymore, Megurine had followed the exact same pattern. Upon her 'coming of age', she had 'acquired' magical abilities. And then, several days later, she had also 'acquired' a flaming tail. Now all three Lux were assembled along with several normal Valkyries for a training session. The weather had been slowly inching towards a storm from the very morning. It was just 2 o'clock in the day, and already it was almost as dark as evening.

Aetheria's nickname is Aia (AetherIA)

Megurine's nickname is Meg (MEGurine)

Lilynaede's nickname is Lily (LILYnaede)

* * *

"Aiaaaaaa, I'm sorryyyyy"whined Megurine, poking the angelic girls' wings in an attempt to draw attention to herself. Lilynaede was standing further away from both- her attempts to help the two Valkyries make up with each other had failed. Deeming it useless, she had simply decided to wait and not talk with either until they had made up with each other by themselves. Oh, and of course she would be waiting for an apology. The whole argument had spawned from Aetheria in the beginning. Being in a foul mood, the angelic Valkyrie had devastated Megurine's summoning hexagram circles while Megurine had been practicing magic. That had ended up in a pissed Megurine immediately slashing at Aetheria (accidentally cutting of a chunk of Aetheria's hair) and afterwards a huge catfight. While Aetheria could use the Valkyrie magical weapons splendidly, Megurine could use magic by herself. Both Lux were matched in power, so the explosions had destroyed quite a bit of land, until both were stopped by an equally pissed Lilynaede.

In terms of power among the Lux, Megurine and Aetheria were fairly matched (except for the times when Aetheria cheated and used forbidden weapons). Lilynaede, however, was on a whole other level from the two. Her powers were like second nature to her. Lilynaede had no need to sketch magic circles or draw summoning geometrical figures in order to understand what to do, how to do it correctly and how to control her power. It all came naturally to her- she was among the very few Valkyries who could **feel** the magic and then **mold** it into what **she** desired it to be. **She** controlled the magic, it was **her** power, and Lilynaede intended to make the most out of what **she** could do.

"Meg, gerroff."growled Aetheria at the redhead who was in tears again by now. Lilynaede just sighed and turned away. She had been feeling strange for the past few days. And her powers had also been acting up, as if to warn her of something. _What could it be? _She wondered, looking up at the darkening sky. _A storm is coming, I can feel it. But what shall it bring? It's like everything will change soon._ Calm replaced by anxiety for the countless time, Lilynaede shifted to a sitting position. Then, as lighting flashed across the sky, she sprang up, alarm evident in her eyes.

"What is it, Lily?"Aetheria sensed Lilynaede's mood.

"I just realized something. I'll be right back. Please spar with Meg this time."Lilynaede crouched and then sprang up into the sky like a bullet. Using magic to boost her speed, she accelerated towards the epicenter of the storm. _No, no, no. Please don't be what I think you are_. She prayed as she neared the tornado- like form. From the corner of her eye she noticed something coming towards her, and not a moment too late she swerved to avoid the black spot. Turning round to face it, she stared in horror at the thing before her. _Twisted. Twisted. Just like in my dreams. In my visions.. How is this even possible?_

"LILY!"Lilynaede turned, as the angelic Lux appeared out of nowhere and impaled the thing in front of her with her runic scythe in an attempt to protect Lilynaede."Get out of here, Lily!"

"B-But/

"No buts. Meg might be in trouble and you two are the only ones who can form a strong enough protective forcefield around the Valkyries."Aetheria spoke, eyes focused on the thing in front of her as Lilynaede struggled with herself and then took off in the opposite direction. No sooner had she gone, than three more twisted souls appeared in the distance, heading towards Aetheria. The Lux twirled her scythe as a smirk stretched her lips. _Let's play then_.

Meanwhile, Megurine was having difficulties with setting up the forcefield around the Valkyries' island. Only half had been set up and she was reaching her limits in concentration.

"Meg!"yelled Lilynaede as she landed, skidding to a halt beside Megurine. The redhead exhaled in relief at Lilynaede's appearance. Lilynaede then spread out her arms as glowing runes appeared around her, forming a circle. The air began to crackle with magic, and soon enough Megurine joined in to help her friend finish setting up the forcefield. Just as the semi-transparent dome was about to close, Aetheria sped in and landed right beside the two Lux. As Lilynaede and Megurine glanced at Aetheria, both noticed something was different. However, neither was prepared for what came next. Moments later, Aetheria grabbed Megurine's hand, throwing Megurine out of the dome and right into the approaching blackness. Lilynaede stared in shock at Aetheria and before she could do or say anything, Aetheria's chest was impaled by a hand. The hand withdrew with a squelch, ripping out Aetheria's heart in the process. Aetheria screeched, and as she fell to the ground, her body dissolved, becoming a black inky puddle. The scythe clattered to the ground, and a pale bloodied hand picked it up.

"Those fuckers don't die easily."muttered the real Aetheria. "The only way to kill them is with your hands. Magic weapons apparently don't work on them."

"A-Aia? Is that really you?"

"Ya, it's me, the bitchy angel. Those things can impersonate only how you look- they can't actually speak.

"Aia! Meg was/

"I know. There ain't a way to get her out now though... No one here has such magic power. Apart from you of course, but you've almost gone all out."

"I know... But I don't care! We have to try! We have to!"

"Lily, you know full well it's impossible!"  
"I won't know until I try! And I don't want to spend my eternal life regretting that I didn't even **try** to save my best friend!"Lilynaede yelled at Aetheria.

The latter sighed, twirling her scythe again.

"Fine. But don't go blaming me if something happens to both of us."Aetheria grinned.

Hovering above the contamination, the two Lux prepared for attack. However, the blackness wasn't going to wait for them to try anything. Countless tentacles pierced the air where both girls were seconds before. The attacks were so fast, neither could afford to do anything other than swerve and dodge, until Aetheria finally snapped and destroyed the incoming tentacles with one slice of her scythe. Lilynaede looked at Aetheria in worry- her scythe was glowing red and cracks were beginning to appear in it. The magical weapon wouldn't hold for much longer.

"Aia, your scythe..."  
"Aye, I know. Don't worry about it. I'll create an opening for you, and you go in and grab Meg outta there. I can hold out for a bit longer."

"But Aia! You're the one who should do it!"

"No. You're the only one who has enough leftover power to do that."stated Aetheria, grabbing the back of Lilynaede's robes and throwing her right at Megurine.

Colliding with and quickly dispelling the blackness around Megurine, Lilynaede dragged her out and threw Megurine at Aetheria (who easily caught the semi-unconscious Lux). "Now, Lily! Get out!"Aetheria yelled, slashing at the tentacles and creating an opening for her. Lilynaede crouched and spread her wings out in order to boost herself, only to be painfully slammed back into the contamination by a clawed hand.

"LILY!"screamed Megurine, finally conscious. Lilynaede battled with the tentacles and hands, only to be sucked deeper into the contamination. And it was slowly spreading, getting closer and closer to the partially open dome. In that moment, Lilynaede made a decision. And as Lilynaede's and Aetheria's eyes met, the latter realized Lilynaede's plan. And she also realized there was no other way out of the situation.

"Aia.. Aia... Come on, we have to help Lily!"Megurine whimpered, afraid of the expression that had crossed her best friend's face. Aetheria turned to Megurine with a stony gaze.

"Meg, do you still have magic left?"

"Yes, but not much."

"Enough to give me power to fly us out of here?"

"Yes of course!"  
"Good."Aetheria whispered, eyes cast down. "Yo, Lily. You stay safe."Aetheria looked up to face Lilynaede. Then she threw her scythe, which sliced through the contamination and embedded itself right next to Lilynaede.

"Look after Meg for me."said Lilynaede as Megurine looked between her two best friends, not comprehending what was going on. Without any other words, Aetheria hugged Megurine closer to herself and ran away. As Megurine looked over Aetheria's shoulder, she could see Lilynaede smiling at them as tears leaked down her face. Only then did Megurine understand. Her scream was drowned out by the high-pitched hum as the scythe disintegrated in Lilynaede's hands. Red runes appeared all around her, forming multiple magical circles, which in turn formed spells, all entwining with each other. Each new magic circle even more complex and detailed than the previous one. Still smiling, Lilynaede uttered only six words

"Forbidden art: Full scale sacrificial metamorphosis."

Tears leaked from Lilynaede's eyes, as blinding white light surrounded everything, devouring the blackness and erasing the contamination from her world. The blast of energy wiped out everything within a four-kilometer radius, leaving a perfect circle where the darkness had been.

And Lilynaede's consciousness faded away.

* * *

"Hakuei Ren-sama, is something the matter?" asked Seisyun Ri, assistant of the first Imperial princess of the Kou kingdom as they steadied their horses. Princess Hakuei looked around as if trying to sense something.

"Seisyun, do you not feel something strange?"Hakuei enquired, as her fan tingled yet again. Seisyun spent a moment in silence, trying to sense what Hakuei had felt. A moment later, however, his sensing was interrupted as Hakuei exclaimed that she had found something, already in mid-gallop towards the thing that had captured her attention. As the duo rode closer, both paused in shock and wonder to stare at the intricate magical circle etched into the ground, still extremely hot and burning with white flames. However, what had captured their attention had not been the circle itself, but the being inside it. A girl was lying right in the center of the circle, eagle-spread, long hair scattered messily around her in a halo of gold, the ends charred, wings of the same color burnt and slightly smoking.

As Hakuei and Seisyun stared at a being they had never seen before in awe, the girl's wings fluttered and she lightly moaned. Snapping back to her senses, Hakuei jumped down from her horse, and, ignoring the warnings of Seisyun, ran right across the magical circle and kneeled down next to the girl.

"Seisyun! She's badly hurt and it seems she's used up her magoi completely! Any more and she'd have started to use up her life force! Come here and help me!"Hakuei urgently spoke. Seisyun sighed at his princesses' constant moral desires to help someone Hakuei didn't even know. But then again, that was one of the exact reasons why he followed princess Hakuei and was loyal to her.

After some urgent magoi transfer to the girl, Hakuei and Seisyun took off to the Kou empire capital in order to ensure the girl would not die and find out what exactly she was. Along the way, another thing perplexed the duo- the girl's wings had shrunk and disappeared into her body without a trace.

"Princess... What on earth is she?"

"I have to admit I haven't the faintest clue. I do however believe we shall find out once she awakens. And before she awakens, I would prefer to be in home territory."Hakuei answered her household member, deep in thought herself. _What is this girl? How did she even get here? And, more importantly, does she pose a threat to us or not?_


	2. Chapter 2

Recap:

After some urgent magoi transfer to the girl, Hakuei and Seisyun took off to the Kou empire capital in order to ensure the girl would not die and find out what exactly she was. Along the way, another thing perplexed the duo- the girl's wings had shrunk and disappeared into her body without a trace.

"Princess... What on earth is she?"

"I have to admit I haven't the faintest clue. I do however believe we shall find out once she awakens. And before she awakens, I would prefer to be in home territory."Hakuei answered her household member, deep in thought herself. _What is this girl? How did she even get here? And, more importantly, does she pose a threat to us or not?_

:Recap end

* * *

Being extremely powerful isn't a curse. Neither is it a gift. It is simply responsibility. Responsibility for your own actions and the consequences your decisions bring.

* * *

_We had just come to the city of Balbadd in order to make business with the Princes of Balbadd- Ahbmad and Sahbmad Saluja. The council was starting in five minutes, and I was currently lost in the dirty, stinky streets of the town's outer circles. Why was I lost there? Because of one bratty oracle kid. Namedly Judal, the Magi of the Kou empire. He had snuck off somewhere along with Markkio, and taken MY magic carpet as a source of travel. AGAIN... When I find him, Judal is in for trouble. If only I could locate his sneaky butt before the council starts. And before anyone has the chance to stop me. Although.. Kouen isn't here to prevent me from doing anything, so I could, in theory, freely kick Judal's ass._

Rhyme sighed as her journey was cut short by a huge crowd filling up the entire square in front of her. _Oh wait... Is that... OMG YES THAT'S THE PALACE_! Rhyme was about to start jumping with joy, when she just happened to glimpse a certain black-haired person, who instantly switched her from the happy mood she'd been in moments ago. A murderous smirk on her face, Rhyme weaved her way through the crowd, following the Black Sun of the Kou empire. _Oh he was in for trouble. Big, big, BIG trouble. Strangely, this actually kinda reminds me of the time we first met._

* * *

~The past~

_Blackness enveloped me as I watched the contamination get obliterated. The next thing I knew, bright sunlight was shining on my face, and I could hear people coming closer to where I was lying. Before I could ascertain if they were allies or enemies, or even wonder why and how I was alive, pain stabbed me all over, and, unable to take it, I once again faded into unconsciousness. I drifted there for a while, waiting for my body to heal completely, dimly aware that someone was helping me heal._

Lilynaede awoke to find herself in a rather large bed. Blinking several times to clear her vision, she cautiously sat up and looked around. The room was completely covered in magical seals that were supposed to prevent escape. A creak caught Lilynaede's attention, and she locked gazes with a young, black-haired guy sitting on the sofa across the room.

"Hey kid." Lilynaede addressed Judal, the notorious Black Magi. "Where in the name of Merlin's pants am I?"

"Shut up and never address me as 'kid' again, harpy." Judal stated arrogantly, as Lilynaede stared at him in disbelief. _Did he just call me a HARPY_?

"Listen up, brat, you either tell me where I am and I spare your miserable life, or you don't tell me and I'll end up finding out the answer from you in any case." Lilynaede growled at Judal, as his expression slowly turned to that of a pissed one. Quite suddenly, he fired a small burst of magoi at Lilynaede in order to knock her out. Judal was much surprised when she caught it with her bare hand, dissipating it in mere seconds. Before Judal had a chance to react, he found himself being smashed right through the walls (and then through the seals) of the room. He wildly somersaulted for a few moments, but then regained his balance, hovering in the air before Lilynaede. Judal grinned. _Finally, a good fight_!

"AHAHAHAHAH, you're so WEAK, harpy!" he said, laughing as he watched Lilynaede elegantly dodge each and every one of his blasts. Then she paused and smiled, holding up a wand. A wand that had been in Judal's hand milliseconds ago. Judal's own wand. Shocked, he looked at Lilynaede, who was starting to gather magoi on the tip of his wand. As soon as enough magoi was gathered, Lilynaede lost no time in drawing a magical circle in front of herself. She grinned at Judal.

"Mirror beam art."

The circle glowed and blared a beam of white energy straight at Judal, who had absolutely no time to dodge, and so ended up being hit straight in the face. Meanwhile, Lilynaede had already replicated the circle five times, sending the replicas lower down. When Judal got hit by the first circle's beam, it sent him in the direction of the replica. The first replica blared the exactly same beam, which hit Judal on the back of his head, sending him flying in the direction of the second replica. The beam-hitting happened six times in total, and after the sixth one, Judal fell face-first into the mud, Lilynaede gracefully landing beside him, triumphantly smiling. Sounds of applause caught her attention, and she turned to see a man come out onto the balcony above her.

"I have to congratulate you, that was a splendid job. You managed to knock Judal out with ease without seriously harming him as well. That is impressive."

"Excuse me if I am being rude, but who are you?"

"You are not at all being rude. I should have introduced myself first. Allow me to do so now. I am Ren Kouen, the first Imperial Prince of the Kou Empire. The person you just knocked out is named Judal, he is in training to become the Oracle of the Kou Empire."

Lilynaede blankly stared at Kouen, and he beckoned for her to follow him. Requiring answers, Lilynaede followed the Imperial Prince to a gigantic garden where there was nobody in sight. "Would you like to take a walk with me?" Kouen courteously asked Lilynaede, who merely nodded. "Now then, I'm sure you have many questions. However, before I answer any of them, I would like you to tell me your story."

Lilynaede glanced up at the man standing before her. He had a strong, serious character, that much she could tell for sure. He was also loyal. Very calm. Ah. There. That part of his character could be easily missed, for it was well-concealed within his eyes. Kouen had an insatiable thirst for knowledge. As long as the person he was interested in gave him the answers he sought, Kouen would side with that person even if he were a complete stranger. Like in Lilynaede's case. The Valkyrie deeply sighed and looked up again, meeting Kouen's gaze. _Such confidence_. Lilynaede thought to herself, and then she made a decision. She slowly lifted up her hand, bringing it up to Kouen's face.

"Let me show you."

It wasn't a question, it wasn't a request. It was a statement, and Kouen felt respect for the girl in front of him. She was in an unknown world with strangers all around her, and even so her character held incredible inner strength. Ren Kouen graced Lilynaede with one of his extremely rare smiles, and, placing his hand over the back of her outstretched palm, he let her fingers touch the side of his temple. Instantly, Kouen was sucked into her memories as visions flashed inside his mind.

Having showed Ren Kouen, and, as such, re-lived all over again most of the things that had happened to her, Lilynaede felt incredibly fatigued. She let her hand fall to her side as Kouen opened his eyes in bewilderment. Red orbs met darkening green ones, and then Lilynaede swayed. Not giving her time to fall, Kouen caught Lilynaede and easily lifted her up into his arms.

Lilynaede's eyes closed in weariness as Kouen carried her to his private quarters, laying her down onto the bed and covering her with the silky sheets.

"Thank you.." Lilynaede muttered, already half-asleep.

"What an incredible creature you are, Lilynaede. Rest well and regain your strength, for you shall be a splendid addition to my family."

"Mm" she mumbled, curling up under the sheets. Kouen looked her over once again, and then he quietly closed the door behind himself.

"Hakuei." Kouen greeted his stepsister who had been waiting for him outside.

"Kouen. Have you found out anything interesting from the girl?"

"I have indeed. Many things in fact. I'm assuming you've already guessed Lilynaede isn't from our dimension."

"That much is obvious. Even if I had not seen her wings, her looks and powers are completely different from anyone's in this world. I must admit, Lilynaede seems pretty interesting. I can see why you of all people would instantly grasp this opportunity."

"I am glad you have comprehended my intentions, as always. Hakuei, you are a remarkable woman." Kouen's stepsister nodded, acknowledging the compliment.

"However, Kouen, her name also stands out. The perfection of her features and her hypnotic gaze can be dismissed as beauty; her powers can be counted as an unknown manipulation with magoi, but her name will have to be changed. Too many different things, and even unperceptive people will begin to wonder."

Kouen fell silent, taking his time to sift through the memories Lilynaede had shown him. _Ah, I do believe she wouldn't want any more reminders of what happened to her. Her name of all things will most probably be one of those reminders. So.. A name. Ah, I think I know the perfect one_.

"I believe the name 'Rhyme' should be fine for her. Also, if it would not trouble you, take her to the clothing stores and let her choose whatever she likes. Jewelry included. I would like you to be the one to watch over Lilynaede."

Hakuei sighed. She deeply respected Kouen and would never refuse a request from him, even if it hadn't been a pleasant one. However now, she was grateful Kouen had offered her and not anyone else this job. Hakuei already found Lilynaede very interesting, and it would be a pleasure for her to learn more about the girl.

"On the contrary, Kouen, that would please me very much. I shall tell her everything then?"

"Everything. All our history. Everything about magoi, djinns, metal vessel users and kings. Every ounce of your knowledge should be transferred to her. Let her do whatever she pleases, but report her actions to me regularly." Ren Kouen turned to Hakuei, letting her glimpse one of his rare smiles. "She is family now. Tell everyone that the 'long-lost' Princess Rhyme Ren is back with us."

Several minutes had passed after Kouen left, but Hakuei still stood frozen on the spot in bewilderment. _This girl... She is certainly going to change everything. I wonder what on earth she showed Kouen-san. I haven't seen him this intrigued in years. On that note, I should probably check in on the girl. Rhyme-san... You are quite interesting_.


	3. Chapter 3

Recap:

Several minutes had passed after Kouen left, but Hakuei still stood frozen on the spot in bewilderment. _This girl... She is certainly going to change everything. I wonder what on earth she showed Kouen-san. I haven't seen him this intrigued in years. On that note, I should probably check in on the girl. Rhyme-san... You are quite interesting_.

:Recap end

* * *

~Back to present~

Rhyme slipped into the palace unnoticeably, in order to avoid attracting attention to herself. Seeing as that took time, she ended up getting in only slightly before Judal entered, however she had enough time to hear part of the conversation between Markkio and someone, whose voice seemed very familiar.

"I'm a banker. You can call me Markkio. I'm currently employed as Balbadd's financial advisor."

"I'm Sinbad, the king of Sindria. Pleased to meet you." at the mention of Sinbad's name, Rhyme gasped, peering down from the huge chandelier she was currently hiding on top of. _Oh my. It really is Sin! But what on earth is he doing here_? Rhyme mused, as Sinbad and Markkio shook hands.

"Likewise."

"Have we met before?"

"No, this would be the first time."

"I see."

"Get outta my way. What's with the annoying crowd outside?" Judal drawled, pushing the guards at the doors aside as he sauntered in. Sinbad gaped at the sight of Judal, and Judal's eyes lit up as he noticed Sinbad. _The spark of love. I swear, sometimes I think Judal is gay for Sin_. Rhyme facepalmed as Judal practically skipped up to Sinbad. "Oh, well if it isn't Your Dumbness. Why're you here? You always end up getting in my way, man."

"Judal, why are _you_ here?"

"I'm a priest of the Kou Empire at the moment."

"You're with the Kou Empire?"

"Yeah. I'm here on official business for them today." Judal turned to Markkio. "Yo. I'm here now. So, what do I do?"

"I shall explain later."

"Sorry Sinbad, but you'll need to leave now." Ahbmad dismissively waved at the king of Sindria.

"This conversation isn't over/"

"That's right!" Alibaba cut in, breaking Sinbad's incoming speech off, much to Rhyme's annoyance. _And this was just getting interesting. I would've liked to hear what Sinbad had to say. His morals are always so entertaining._

"If it's about resuming trade with Sindria, then it's really impossible for me to help you."

"What do you mean?"

"All of Balbadd's trading rights have been put under the control of the Kou Empire. Balbadd cannot trade with any other countries unless the Kou Empire authorizes it."

"Do you plan to be ruled by the Kou Empire?" Sinbad asked in shock.

"Of course not. This is just a policy that the banker proposed we enact in order to revive Balbadd's economy."

"That's right. Brokering peaceful trade between countries. That is the job of us bankers. How about it? You're a king as well? Why don't you hand over your country's economic affairs to us?" Markkio proposed, and Rhyme rolled her eyes, already knowing the answer._ My-my, this is getting more boring by the minute. I hate being able to predict conversations_.

"Wait! I haven't finished talking to you either! Promise as the king! Tell me you'll definitely protect the people who are suffering!" Alibaba demanded of Ahbmad, who very fakely yawned.

"I can't understand the words of trash from the slums."

"You... There's no difference between us!"

"Stop! Let's leave for today." Sinbad cut in, trying to stop Alibaba from further argument and failing.

"Listen to me dammnit!" Alibaba yelled at Ahbmad yet again, having no choice but to leave after that, as he was dragged away by Sinbad. The doors closed behind Sinbad and Alibaba's backs, and Rhyme yawned.

"Finally. I thought this would never end." she said, jumping down from the golden chandelier and gracefully landing beside Judal.

"Guards! There's an intruder here! Kill her now!" Ahbmad shrieked, and Rhyme turned to face the oncoming hoard of guards with a roll of her eyes, when she was pushed behind someone's back. Rhyme was about to protest when she noticed who was standing in front of her.

"Oi. Get the heck back. Rhyme is also an official representative of the Kou empire and she's with us." Judal coldly stated, and the guards halted in their tracks.

"Prince Ahbmad, Prince Sahbmad, meet Rhyme Ren, the third Imperial Princess of the Kou Empire." Markkio proclaimed, and Rhyme mockingly bowed to the two princes.

"Perhaps, before you attacked, you should have established whether I was an enemy or an ally. Please see to doing that in your nearest future, or you just might end up getting some useful allies killed accidentally."

"Rhyme. That was hardly necessary." Markkio accused the blonde devil, who gazed at him in total incomprehension.

"Of course it was. He would've gotten his guards killed. Are you implying Ahbmad's guards aren't his allies, Markkio?" Rhyme enquired, innocently smiling, and Markkio sighed. _I got ya there, Markkio, hihi_. "Hey Judal, why on earth did you do that? I could've easily handled the situation myself. Oh, and don't think 'protecting' me has gotten you out of the trouble you're in."

"Well I figured I'd do something nice for you before you remembered I had borrowed your carpet, but I guess my plan failed."

"Borrowed? You STOLE the carpet, Judal. MY flying carpet."

"I borrowed it for a while."

"Yeah right. And then you dumped me in the middle of nowhere."

"I assumed you knew the way to the palace."

"Judal."

"Hm?"

***punch* *slap* *punch***

"Ow! What was that for, Rhyme?" Judal whined, rubbing his cheek as Rhyme cracked her knuckles in satisfaction. She rolled her eyes.

"For obvious reasons. You should be happy I merely punched your face a few times. I'm sparing you because we have to do business here. But rest assured, once we get back, I'm informing Kouen that you'll be incapable of being the Kou Empire's priest for at least a few days after I'm done with you." Judal arrogantly smirked.

"I've gotten much better at using my power, Rhyme. Just you wait, I'll surprise you."

"You better have some new tricks up your sleeve, Judal, or I'll get tired of knocking you out soon."

"Challenge accepted." Judal and Rhyme stared at each other with smirks on their faces as Markkio cleared his throat.

"Now then, shall we get back to business? Rhyme, Judal, you two can go take a break. It seems to me that Balbadd's economical affairs bore you."

"I'll race you to the carpet!" yelled Rhyme, already sprinting to the door, Judal following not far behind.

* * *

~A few hours later~

Rhyme was lazying around on the gigantic bed in the hotel she, Judal and Markkio were staying at. A gold platter which had been overflowing with fruit mere minutes ago was in front of her, already half-empty. As Rhyme was about to pop another cherry into her mouth, the room swam in front of her eyes and visions filled her mind. A moment later, Rhyme grabbed her staff and jumped right out of the window.  
She raced through the streets of Balbadd, heading towards the Fog Troupe's hideout. _If only I can make it in time. Please let me make it in time_. Rhyme prayed, her mind replaying the visions of a battered and bruised Judal lying in a crater, a huge blue djinn about to crush him. As Rhyme neared the hideout, she sensed a familiar wavelength which felt like it was under extreme pressure. A moment later, Rhyme felt Judal's Borg shatter, and the djinn's roar echoed through the neighborhood. A gasp escaped Rhyme's lips as she felt the djinn gathering magoi of a destructive type around its' palms. She flew into the courtyard just in time to see the djinn's gigantic hands headed towards Judal's unconscious body. An earsplitting crash shook the area as the djinn smashed its' fists down. The sphere of pink energy around its' palms exploded in a gigantic radius around the entire courtyard. A moment of silence followed, after which Alibaba's worried shouts were the first thing that broke the initial silence.

"Thanks to Sinbad, nobody seems to have died. Everybody went to take cover when Sinbad yelled out a warning. But... He's..." Morgiana spoke, looking away, and everyone's attention was turned to the djinn standing beside the gigantic crater.

"Hey Aladdin, what's happening with Ugo? It looks like he's acting on his own."

"I don't know. This has never happened before." Aladdin replied to Alibaba, looking at Ugo with worry. Only then did he and everyone else notice the figure standing on an unharmed circle of land right inside the crater. Cracks were spreading out from underneath it.

Rhyme's fringe was covering her eyes as she stood above the unconscious body of Judal. She abruptly slammed her staff onto the ground while facing the djinn, casting a protective wall-like barrier over Judal and simultaneously causing a shockwave to ripple through the air. Rhyme looked around herself, searching for any faces she might recognize. _That blond kid from today's council, Alibaba Saluja. Masrur. Ah. __**Sin**_. _He let this happen, didn't he_. Rhyme's usually warm green eyes met Sinbad's with such furious malice, that he stepped back in shock, having never seen Rhyme display that level of hatred. The murderous intent rolling off her was almost tangible; it became difficult to breathe in the vicinity. Passing over Sinbad, her eyes met with that of the bluenette kid holding the flute standing next to Alibaba Saluja.

"Order your genie to stand down, kid."

"I-I can't! Ugo has gotten out of control!" Aladdin stuttered, and Rhyme turned away from him.

"Very well. Then I shall rid the world of this abomination."

Rhyme looked up at the genie, twirling her staff in her hand. Abruptly, her eyes narrowed, and the malicious aura peaked. Even though the humans were standing quite far away from her, they fell to their knees, starting to suffocate.

"Rhyme, stop!" Sinbad shouted at Rhyme, who was still twirling her staff, just starting to create a field of vibrations around herself. She paused.

"Why should I stop?"

"Look at what you're causing! You're hurting the people around us!"

To Sinbad's surprise, Rhyme smiled.

"I'm just returning the favor in full, Sinbad. It's only fair to hurt everyone here the way Judal has been hurt. Even so, I'm merely making them all _share_ the pain he just went through. Mind you, I'm not giving each and every one of them the same pain."

Rhyme turned to make sure Judal was still safely behind the barrier wall she'd created, but instead was met with an empty space where Judal had been moments ago. She looked up and exhaled with relief, seeing two very familiar faces.

"My-my, what's with that monster? It seems like you've bullied my cute little Judal harshly. Looks like he got through by the skin of his teeth. His injuries are rather severe. Ka Koubun, you'd better heal him properly. We can't have him die." Princess Kougyoku stated, looking rather bored. Her eyes skimmed the crowd, finally stopping on Rhyme's face. _Oh. Rhyme-oneesan. She looks quite mad and worried too. Could it be.. She's worried about Judal_! Kougyoku realized, acknowledging Rhyme's presence with a slight nod of her head. _Rhyme-oneesan is not going to talk with me now, and I'd just be unnecessarily bothering her if I did ask her to explain what happened_. I_'ll just wait until this is over and Judal is safe, and then I'll ask for the details._

"I understand, Princess. He's our precious priest, after all." Ka Koubun bowed, just as the djinn began gathering pink energy around its' palms again. Kougyoku stared at the djinn, curious.

"What? Does that monster still want to fight? How interesting. Very well then, I shall be his opponent."

"Please be careful, Princess."

"It's okay. Just leave it to me." Kougyoku reassured Ka Koubun, taking out the golden pin from her hair. "You should concentrate on healing him." _Otherwise Rhyme-oneesan will kill you with her death glare. Heheh._

"I will." _If I don't, Rhyme-san is going to murder me. So will Commander Kouen for that matter_. Ka Koubun sighed, getting to work as Kougyoku took a step forward.

"O spirit of sorrow and isolation. I command thee and thine vessel. Using my magoi, bestow great power upon my will. Come, Vinea!" she exclaimed with a rather twisted smile on her face, as water surrounded her. The djinn attacked without hesitation, using the same pink magoi to burn through Kougyoku's water shield. "It's hot. You're evaporating all the water I've collected! Just die already!" Kougyoku shouted, using a partial djinn equip. The moment Vinea's sword was fully formed, Kougyoku sliced through the djinn in one swoop, looking incredibly satisfied as its' body disappeared. _That's what you get for worrying my oneesan_. Kougyoku's 'oneesan', Rhyme, wasn't paying attention to anything that was happening. She trusted Kougyoku's power, and so Rhyme's gaze and attention were fixed on the shallow breaths of Judal, who was lying on the flying carpet above her, Ka Koubun's magoi-infused water around Judal's battered body, healing his injuries. The carpet finally lowered itself, granting access to Rhyme. Not wasting a moment, she jumped onto it, seating herself right beside Ka Koubun, anxious eyes studying Judal's condition.

"How was that, Ka Koubun?"

"Simply amazing, Princess."

"How's Judal doing?"

"I've performed some emergency first aid, but I'll need a proper facility to completely heal him."

"Then let's get going." Kougyoku said, smiling reassuringly at Rhyme, looking pissed a moment later as she barely dodged a ball of magoi headed towards her head. The magical carpet flew up, avoiding Aladdin's attacks. "What do you want? We were just saving our friend from a monster that attacked him."

"No! Ugo was just fighting to protect everyone! Your friend's the one that started the fight!" Aladdin pointed at Judal's unconscious form, making Rhyme stand up and murderously glare at him. Kougyoku placed a hand on Rhyme's shoulder in a calming manner. _Yeesh, calm down oneesan. I'll take care of this_.  
"I see. Then you're the master of that monster, right? Those people below are your friends too, right? Enshin, Entai, Engi. Kill them all. I'll take care of this child. You three, kill the rest of the trash."

"Stop him, Masrur!" Sinbad yelled as Entai began attacking the normal humans around them. _He's as strong as Masrur? Then she must be_..

"Everyone seems to be having fun. Guess I'll get serious too. O spirit of sorrow and isolation. I command thee. Cover my body. Infuse my body."

"Wh-What's with this person?" Aladdin stuttered, and Kougyoku grinned.

"Transform my body into a great demon, Vinea!"

"Please stop, miss." Sinbad gripped Kougyoku's arm, dispelling her magoi as Vinea's sword vanished.

"What are you doing?!" _My djinn equip is_..!

"I believe you're a princess of the Kou Empire, correct?"

"Wh-Who are you?"

"I am Sinbad. Sinbad, the king of Sindria.

"Y-You're _that_ king Sinbad." Kougyoku stuttered, looking at the handsome king before her. "How long are you going to hold my hand for, you insolent man?"

"My apologies, Princess, but we are both people of rank and status. We should not be fighting in a place like this."

"B-But that child.." Sinbad sighed and looked at Aladdin.

"Aladdin, could you please put down your staff? It's okay. A djinn won't die from an injury like that. Your friend's still alive. It isn't like you to get so worked up." Sinbad spoke as Aladdin relaxed and stopped gathering magoi. Satisfied, Sinbad turned his attention back to Kougyoku. "Princess. I'm visiting this country on some business. If you are as well, then I'd like to meet with you at a more appropriate place."

"I-I understand. Everyone."

"Ah. What is it?" Ka Koubun asked, looking at a blushing Kougyoku with curiosity.

"We're leaving."

"Huh? But Princess/"

"We're leaving now! Listen, it's not like I'm leaving just because you told me to, got it?!" Kougyoku yelled, pointing a finger at Sinbad accusingly as she mounted the flying carpet. A moment later, they were gone. As the wind whipped her golden hair across her face, Rhyme closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. _Soon you'll be alright, Judal_.


	4. Chapter 4

Recap:

"We're leaving now! Listen, it's not like I'm leaving just because you told me to, got it?!" Kougyoku yelled, pointing a finger at Sinbad accusingly as she mounted the flying carpet. A moment later, they were gone. As the wind whipped her golden hair across her face, Rhyme closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. _Soon you'll be alright, Judal_.

:Recap end

* * *

Hovering high above the Kou Palace, Rhyme was deep in thought. Kouen's healing crew had attended to Judal and healed him in no time under Ka Koubun's instructions. "He'll need a day or two of sleep to recuperate." - that's what Ka Koubun had told her. But a day or two had already passed, and Rhyme was starting to worry even more about Judal. _What if he doesn't regain consciousness? Ugh. I should've known better than to let him off on his own_. Interrupting Rhyme's musings, a certain redhead yelled for her attention from below, and, folding her wings with a sigh, Rhyme plummeted down. Unfurling her wings a few meters before the ground, Rhyme was pulled upwards by the air currents, and doing so allowed her to swiftly land beside Kouen.

"Has Judal regained consciousness?"

"No, b/"

"Then what is it, Kouen?" Rhyme cut the General off, looking at him tiredly. "I've asked you to not bother me with Princess or Kou Empire duties until Judal awakens, haven't I?"

"Those are not the reasons I'm bothering you. Princess Kougyoku has been waiting for your explanation of what happened for three days now, and I do believe she has earned one."

"Kouen.. I'm not in the/"

"I know you're not in the mood, Rhyme, but that is exactly why you _have_ to do so." Kouen stated authoritatively, and his tone didn't escape Rhyme's attention.

"I _have_ to?"

"Yes, this is an order. Now go, Princess Kougyoku is waiting in the library."

Rhyme stiffly bowed and brushed past Kouen, who sighed after the Valkyrie was gone. _It's healthy to clear your mind from worrying about Judal so much, Rhyme_.

* * *

~A few minutes later~

"Good day, Kougyoku."

"Ah! Rhyme-oneesan!" Kougyoku wasted no time in getting up to hug the person she counted as her older sister figure. "How are you? Did Kouen-san pass my message along? Oh I hope I haven't bothered him too much.."

"Don't worry, Gyo-chan. He's totally _fine_." Rhyme said, annoyance showing through her tone as Kougyoku giggled.

"Oneesan, there was no other way to grasp ahold of you in the past three days. You haven't been sleeping in your private quarters, you haven't even been eating with all of us like usual.. You were nowhere to be seen. I had to do _something_. We're all worried about you, you know? Even Kouen-san is, although he doesn't show it."

"Kouen is.. Worried about me?" Rhyme looked at Kougyoku in surprise. Satisfied she finally had her oneesan's attention, Kougyoku nodded and continued.

"Mm. He even asked Hakuei-san to try and cheer you up."

"Oh..." Rhyme trailed off, suddenly realizing why Hakuei had approached her a day ago. The bluenette had dragged Rhyme off for shopping the moment the blonde was in her hands. Rhyme had to admit, shopping with Hakuei had distracted her for a while. Hakuei was calm, attentive and very intelligent. If anything, she was the one person whose company Rhyme enjoyed as much as Kouen's (and Judal's, though she'd never admit to it aloud). Plus Hakuei had bought her a designer's outfit of black armor (ordering three more of exactly the same for spare wear). It consisted of a lightweight and extremely sturdy material. Link on how it looks because it is really pretty: ( /oid/112/640x768_19415_High_Level_Mage_Female_Style_Archetype_2d_fantasy_female_mage_picture_image_digital_ )

Rhyme hadn't worn it yet, neither had anyone (other than Hakuei) seen it, so, glancing at Kougyoku, Rhyme smiled. "How would you like to see my new outfit, Gyo-chan?" _Oneesan is finally letting me see her wardrobe! Kyaaaaaaa_! Kougyoku's inner self squealed, as Kougyoku herself jumped up from the couch she had been seated on and proceeded to glomp Rhyme.

"I'd LOVE to, oneesan!"

"Alright, then come along."

* * *

~An hour later~

Rhyme was beginning to get a headache from all of Kougyoku's talking. Don't get Rhyme wrong, she loved Kougyoku like a little sister, but sometimes being near Kougyoku was very, very tiring. Especially when all she had been talking about for the past hour had been... Sinbad. Of course. Rhyme should've guessed that Kougyoku had fallen for the womanizer the moment he touched her hand. As things had been at the time, however, Rhyme had only had ears and eyes for Judal. Now she was regretting not beating the bejesus out of Sinbad when she still had the chance. _Although it wouldn't have been a fair fight since Sin hadn't had his metal vessels on himself_. Rhyme sighed. _Why can't life be easy for me_? she wondered, watching the female redhead happily blabber away about Sinbad's awesomeness without a worry in the world. It's not that Kougyoku didn't have problems, it's just that for Rhyme, the problems Kougyoku had were so meager compared to hers. _Try keeping an eye ON Judal whilst also keeping an eye OUT for Judal, just in case he decides to use magic on you for some stupid reason. And as if that isn't hard enough, he also constantly disappears somewhere, ESPECIALLY when you're in unknown countries. And YOU'RE the one who gets scolded if you're late to find Judal_..

An explosion of black Rukh shook the palace. Jumping up, Rhyme ran to her balcony, trying to detect the source. _Where, where.. Oh_. _Judal_! Rhyme mentally exclaimed, feeling the black-haired Magi's Rukh run wild as he wreaked destruction on the medical quarters while probably still being unconscious. Before Kougyoku had a chance to say or do anything, Rhyme was already in the air, speeding towards the havoc Judal was causing. She paused over a confused Kouen near one of the food stalls, who was trying his best to understand what was happening (seeing as people were evacuating the medical quarters with screams). Another magoi explosion shook the area, and, not bothering to ask the General for permission (or to explain what was happening to him), Rhyme flew inside the building. Once inside, her folded wings disappeared into her body and she proceeded to sprint in the direction the Rukh was leading her in. Rhyme had barely reached the corridor in which Judal's room was located, when she got blown backwards by the force of his Borg. _Ow. Just great. He must believe he's still fighting the djinn_.  
"Judal! It's me, Rhyme!" the only reaction that followed her yell was an attack, and Rhyme swerved to the side to avoid an ice spike, which happened to slice a chunk of her hair off. Rhyme stared at the golden strands on the floor. "OI JUDAL... YOU SLICED MY HAIR OFF. NOW YOU'RE **DEFINITELY** TOAST, YOU ANNOYING BRAT! FUCKING WAKE UP ALREADY SO I CAN BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU!" the Valkyrie from Hell bellowed as she fired a shockwave around herself, making the walls of the room explode outwards. Simultaneously, Rhyme cast a barrier around the building to ensure it wouldn't crash outwards and crush anyone beneath it with the falling debris. The hellish noise (and Rhyme's screeching) was enough to finally wake Judal up. He sat up, sleepily rubbing his eyes.

"Rhyme?"

"Finally. Sleeping beauty woke up, eh?"

"Finally?"

"Well, you've been sleeping for/Judal, watch out!" throwing herself over Judal, Rhyme used her magic-infused wings to shield them both from the falling roof. After the initial echoes ceased, Rhyme exhaled in relief. "Whew, I think it's fine now." she told a startled Judal, just as the building groaned, and, with an almighty rumble, the floor beneath them collapsed. Rhyme made to fly them both out, but a particularly heavy piece of the falling roof hit her. With a shocked gasp, Rhyme's wings folded and she dropped down, still holding onto Judal. Then everything went black. As Rhyme slowly drifted back to consciousness, she felt someone gently touch her, and Judal's worried voice invaded her hearing.

"Rhyme, hey, are you alright? Rhymeeee, come on, at least say **something**."

_For once it's the opposite- __**he's**__ actually worried about __**me**_. Rhyme thought wryly, and then her eyes snapped open as she remembered everything that had happened. For a moment, she just stared at Judal and at the Borg around both of them. Noticing Rhyme's stare, he rolled his eyes. "What, did ya think I was a total idiot and that I would forget to use my Borg? You should know better, since you're the one who drilled it into my brain. 'A Borg repels most physical attacks, especially the Borg of a Magi'." Judal mimicked Rhyme in a high-pitched voice, smiling at her shocked face. Suddenly, Rhyme glomped Judal and buried her face in his chunnari. "O-Oi.. Rhyme?"

"Don't EVER worry me like that again, idiot. Got it?"

Judal blinked and stared at Rhyme's tear-stained face.  
"You're the idiot, Rhyme."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Alrighty, people, I want to thank you for your comments and faves 3

They've really cheered me up cause I thought this story was a fail for a bit XD (well this WAS a crappy chapter in my opinion- I just didn't want to go with the traditional Judal fanfiction stuff. Meaning I didn't want Rhyme to wait at Judal's bed and then accidentally kiss/fall asleep next to him or something once he wakes up after his fight with Aladdin)  
So what do you think of this chapter?


End file.
